All media related stuff in here please including BBC updates and similar informed publications, although "White Christmas odds slashed", "Aderdeen to be buried in snow for the next 5 months", "The Southwest to see the warmest winter in a century" and similar posts will be accepted    

So my 'local' radio (Breeze - Warminster, Westbry, Frome) said that the Met Office has said 3 months of freezing weather starts this Thursday... I assume this comes from the Mail (again) but can anyone confirm if anyone at the Met actually forecast this 3 month freeze? Or otherwise where has the attribution come from?

Its from Vantage weather or some such... as well as exact weather - I think.  thats according to Daily mail /express sources.  They sprinkle the Met office and their quotes in between quotes from other less known weather site.  So they end up with an extreme weather sandwich.  so to the untrained eye - it looks like a quote from the metoffice.... whcih it isnt.

Infact - i remember someone pointed out an article by the met pointing out clearly their message on this coming winter, and whilst they didnt want to provide a long term forecast, they went on to say they certainly didnt say 10Inches of snow and -20*c...

As per Ian's F post on NW, met update now mentioning possibility of cold:

Occasional rain and strong winds will affect northwestern parts on Sunday and Monday with a marked thaw of lying snow across the hills. Further southeast, it will be drier and mainly fine with sunny spells, however overnight fog and frost patches are likely. By midweek, the cloudier and milder conditions across the northwest are likely to filter slowly southeast. However, many southeastern areas may remain cold with clear spells, and some patchy overnight fog. Thereafter, the northwest/southeast divide is likely to continue, with the more unsettled but often milder weather tending to be in the northwest, and the best of the drier and brighter weather towards the south and east. However, there is the potential for colder conditions to spread in from the southeast towards the end of the period.

And:

UK Outlook for Wednesday 18 Dec 2013 to Wednesday 1 Jan 2014:

Generally unsettled, particularly towards the north and northwest of the UK, with the best of any drier and brighter conditions further south and southeast. Temperatures look to be around normal, although there is the potential for colder than average temperatures across the south and east during the start of the period.

Can't grumble at that , clearing spotting a build in pressure to the East

Don't say you weren't warned!

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/354006/Climate-change-warning-Killer-winter-storms-for-next-THIRTY-years

The plus side of this cold spell coming to an end so soon, is laughing at the people that predicted 2 foot of snow nationwide!

BBC Reporting Scotland really hyping up Thursdays windstorm - warning of branches on the road, ferry cancelations and power cuts

Also now warning of small scale structural damage with severe gale to storm force winds in the early hours

Sky news reporting scotrail are suspending ALL services tomorrow 5th

hope i missheard as im sure that will cause more than a few problems

for a lot of folk !

Funny how the BBC weather forecasters talk of a "Winter storm and Arctic winds" yet do not even mention snow except for over higher ground in the north and at any rate this won't even be felt in southern England at all and will only last a day!! Not quite the 3 months the Daily express were ramnping on about but they talk rubbish anyway! At least it will stay dry in the South and West.

2013-12-05

I do fear this could be the common theme of the winter... lets hopenot :)

Bill Giles in The Radio Times enlisting sympathy for MetO forecasters

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-12-04/spare-a-thought-for-bill-giles-and-the-tv-weathermen

The Times, referring to this article, goes  much further and has Bill worrying about much-hyped predictions which fail (a la Daily Express) being laid at the door of the professional forecasters and giving them a bad name. In particular The Times says "A series of stories came from a company called Positive Weather Solutions, whose team of meteorologists turned out to be stock images from a photo library"

UK Outlook for Wednesday 11 Dec 2013 to Friday 20 Dec 2013:

It will be mostly cloudy in the northwest on Wednesday and Thursday with rain, locally heavy, accompanied by strong winds. Further to the south and east, it will be mainly dry with sunny spells and lighter winds. It will be fairly mild in the north and west but colder elsewhere with a threat of overnight frost and persistent fog patches, particularly in the southeast. The northwest and southeast split is likely to continue thereafter with only a low risk that more unsettled conditions could spread further southeastwards for a time. Temperatures will remain a little below normal in the southeast of the country and it may be cold in areas where fog persists throughout the day.

UK Outlook for Saturday 21 Dec 2013 to Saturday 4 Jan 2014:

Remaining rather unsettled towards the north and northwest of the UK, with drier and brighter conditions towards the south and southeast. However, the incursion of more changeable conditions across southern and eastern parts is possible at times. Temperatures probably staying around or just below normal across the UK generally, although it could turn milder than average across the northwest. There is, however, a low risk of colder conditions affecting southern and southeastern areas with an increased risk of frost and fog.

Issued at: 1600 on Fri 6 Dec 2013

SE looks as though it could be rather chilly

Get your snow fix now on sky sports 2 NFLDetroit at Philadelphia they are playing in 8 inches of snow with heavy snow falling. inch of snow over here and games are called off cause its too dangerous as a spectator to watch and be at the stadium

Hi all. 

Please see my updared thoughts for the weather in Kent for the week ahead (9-16th December)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_7z_uwDRmY

Everyone's favourite user of spanking agency photos as forecasters* is back!

* - as found out by the Guardian. Powell used pictures that were also used by a spanking agency, safe sex agency and mail order bride sites and said they were his forecasters.

Here's a link to the online version.

http://modeles.meteociel.fr/modeles/gfs/runs/2013120906/gfsnh-0-384.png?6

Lates GFS chart suggest they could be right